IN OUR OPINION

We can no longer ignore education

Published: Sunday, July 28, 2013 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, July 26, 2013 at 5:45 p.m.

School grades were issued Friday, and Marion County’s report card was nothing to be proud of. One-third of the county’s elementary and middle schools (high school grades are yet to come) earned D’s. Another third received C’s. Only four of the 40 grades issued Friday were A’s.

It’s time for a serious talk about education in our community, the whole community. It’s past time.

The good news is a small group of educators — headed by school district Executive Director of Student Services Mark Vianello, Superintendent of Schools George Tomyn and Public Education Foundation chief Judi Zanetti — have joined this newspaper in initiating that conversation. On Thursday, the trio met with a small group of principals, business people and parents to begin drawing a road map for the conversation. It quickly turned into a wide-ranging discussion, one that was revealing.

If perception is reality, then the Marion County Public Schools are in trouble.

Kevin Sheilley, the CEO/president of the Ocala/Marion County Chamber and Economic Partnership, told the group when he came here late last year, he began meeting individually with 200 local business leaders. He lamented that 199 of the 200 had told him our schools aren’t very good.

Steve Hollosi, general manager of Ford of Ocala, told the group he is expanding his business and is willing to train new employees with the skills they will need. What he says he cannot train them in is so-called “soft skills” — work ethic, appearance, manners and so on.

And one of the parents present said when she talks with other mothers, they collectively fret over whether our public schools can provide their pre-school age children a quality education.

Now, as Zanetti accurately pointed out, there are “great” things happening every day in each and every one of Marion County’s 50 public schools. We have nationally ranked high schools and elementaries. We have national award-winning magnet and honors programs. We have principals and teachers who annually are among the best in the state.

Yet, our public schools are falling short. The grade card speaks for itself.

Our schools are terrific at serving the needs of the top 25 percent, and provide an abundance of services to the bottom 25 percent. It is the middle 50 percent of students, the ones who show up every day, work hard and get OK grades, that is, and always has been, in need of more instruction, more tutoring, more resources.

We have all heard or been part of small conversations about our schools — usually about what is wrong with them. Well, it is time we as a community come together and have a big conversation about not only what is wrong with our schools but what is right with them, too — and find ways to duplicate what is right wherever we can.

The economic future of our children and this community depends on the quality of education our schools deliver. As it stands, our college-educated population is half the national average. A third of our schools received D’s. Those kinds of realities are not going to make Ocala/Marion County attractive to quality employers.

It’s time we talked about changing the perception, indeed the reality, of our schools. Now.

<p>School grades were issued Friday, and Marion County's report card was nothing to be proud of. One-third of the county's elementary and middle schools (high school grades are yet to come) earned D's. Another third received C's. Only four of the 40 grades issued Friday were A's.</p><p>It's time for a serious talk about education in our community, the whole community. It's past time.</p><p>The good news is a small group of educators — headed by school district Executive Director of Student Services Mark Vianello, Superintendent of Schools George Tomyn and Public Education Foundation chief Judi Zanetti — have joined this newspaper in initiating that conversation. On Thursday, the trio met with a small group of principals, business people and parents to begin drawing a road map for the conversation. It quickly turned into a wide-ranging discussion, one that was revealing.</p><p>If perception is reality, then the Marion County Public Schools are in trouble.</p><p>Kevin Sheilley, the CEO/president of the Ocala/Marion County Chamber and Economic Partnership, told the group when he came here late last year, he began meeting individually with 200 local business leaders. He lamented that 199 of the 200 had told him our schools aren't very good.</p><p>Steve Hollosi, general manager of Ford of Ocala, told the group he is expanding his business and is willing to train new employees with the skills they will need. What he says he cannot train them in is so-called “soft skills” — work ethic, appearance, manners and so on.</p><p>And one of the parents present said when she talks with other mothers, they collectively fret over whether our public schools can provide their pre-school age children a quality education.</p><p>Now, as Zanetti accurately pointed out, there are “great” things happening every day in each and every one of Marion County's 50 public schools. We have nationally ranked high schools and elementaries. We have national award-winning magnet and honors programs. We have principals and teachers who annually are among the best in the state.</p><p>Yet, our public schools are falling short. The grade card speaks for itself.</p><p>Our schools are terrific at serving the needs of the top 25 percent, and provide an abundance of services to the bottom 25 percent. It is the middle 50 percent of students, the ones who show up every day, work hard and get OK grades, that is, and always has been, in need of more instruction, more tutoring, more resources.</p><p>We have all heard or been part of small conversations about our schools — usually about what is wrong with them. Well, it is time we as a community come together and have a big conversation about not only what is wrong with our schools but what is right with them, too — and find ways to duplicate what is right wherever we can.</p><p>The economic future of our children and this community depends on the quality of education our schools deliver. As it stands, our college-educated population is half the national average. A third of our schools received D's. Those kinds of realities are not going to make Ocala/Marion County attractive to quality employers.</p><p>It's time we talked about changing the perception, indeed the reality, of our schools. Now.</p>